Greenhouse sash bar



March 30, 1937. F ElCHE 2,075,642

GREENHOUSE SASH BAR Filed Feb. 8, 1935 Fig.; ,7 *y

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Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,075,642 GREEN'HoUsE sAsn BAR Frederick Eiche, Lincoln, Nebr.

Y Application February 8, 1935, Serial No. 5,639,

' ,2 claims.` (ci. 10s-11e) My invention relates; to l greenhousesash bars,

one of its objects being: the provisionV of van easily fashioned sash bar which lendsVK itself to the extrudilngprocessf'of manufacture. l Another object of theinvention is the pro.-V

visionof a sash bar which facilitates the removal and replacement of broken panes of glass. Another-` object is the provision of a sash bar with means for firmly securing` the glass panes against chattering.

Still another object .of the invention is the provision of a sash bar which-'provides-for a firma roof of sulicientA strengthto carry any possiblefload due tothe weight of the glass itice and capable also of 'supporting yworkmen to replace broken panes of glass;

'2"0 minimum'v of light'. f

@very importantl object :of thel inventionl is the'iprovision of'a' sash bar'y which obstructsthe the lprofusion of a iatch barJ vvoffsim'ple construction and (of extremely simple manipulationffo'r releasing a broken pane ffg'lass and' for latchin'glanotherpane of glass in its. place.

will bel 'pointed out in will now referto the Figure 1 `is a view in'Y sash bar and the latching bar and the being sectioned at various glass.. all `of these the 'following' description, drawing, in whichV perspective showing the panes of placs ,to disclose structure which would otherwise be concealed.

Figure 2 is a. plan bars.v

view of, one'ofl my latch Figure' 3 is a plan View of a fragment of the 40 greenhouse roof showing 'an opening where a pane of' glass has .i 'also the adaptation of fora workman.

beenv removed and showing the latch bar as a support The sash bar includes a base I0,` a shank-'I I, Ia

head lz anda rib I3 construction sincel the sash vbythe extrusion of metal.

on transverse beams-*44 of the 'signedA to lrest all of integral and vsolid bar isto be formed The base I0 is deframe `of 'the greenhouse and it isprovided on its `opposite sides with dripchannels I5' for carrying" away theA moisture of condensation or other water which reaches these channels. l

II and it projects to both I2 rests on the shank The head sides thereof. The upper surfaces of the head I2 are flat and they are designed to support panes of Vglass I6 at the lateral edges of the panes. Above the upper flat surfaces of the head I2 is a rib I3f`which tapers slightly in an upward and inward direction. This rib functions in a manner to be later described for securing the panes of glass firmlyy against the upper flat surfaces of the head I2 but it also functions to space the columns of the panes of glass from each other. The sash bar and its integral parts are all made in suitable lengths to span the distance between the eaves and the ridge of the greenhouse.

The panes I6 rest on the upper at surfaces of the heads I2 and for this reason the sash bars are securedto the roof frame of the greenhouse in parallelgrelation and spaced a suitable distance from eachother to accommodate the panes of glass which are generally uniform in dimensions. The units of each column of glass panes are thus arranged` in imbricated relation to rest at their `lateral ,fedges only onV the flat surfaces ofthe headsfIZof two spaced sash bars. For securing them in xed position on the sash bar,` I provide a latching bar of nov-el form. This latching bar. I'I consists' of a strip of channeled metal offsubstantially the same'length as that of 4the glasspanes I6. The channeled portion of the` latching bar I1 is shaped to seat over the e top ofthe rib I3. The latching bar is provided with'two laterally `projecting strips I8 whose overall width is thatiof the head I2 as shown in Figure' `1. The rib I3 Vis provided with a plurality of Huniformly spaced screw-threaded apertures for the reception of screws I9. The spacing Aof theseapertures must conform to the length ofthe glass panes. As shown in Figure 2 the latching bar II is provided with an aperture 20 adjacent its lower-'extremity and with a fork 2l at its upper extremity.

The removal of a broken pane of glass and its replacement is thus an exceedingly simple matter as compared with such removal and replacement with any of the prior constructions. The two screws I9 :adjacent the lower edge of the broken rpane lare first removed entirely and the two screws adjacent the upper edgeof the broken pane are'then loosened sufficiently to release the edges of the glass. This then releases the two latching bars I1 which may be slidably withdrawn so that a new pane of glass may be in-Y serted; glass the two latching bars I'I are replaced into the positions-winch theyl formerly occupied, being rst shoved upwardly to straddle a screw I9 until the aperture 20 is in registration with the aperture in the rib I3. The screw I9 is then passed r After the insertion of the' new pane of r of the rib I3 after which the screw I9 adjacent the upper edge of the glass pane is tightened to secure all of the parts together.

The latching bar I'I may be employed as shown in Figure 3 to serve as a ladder or as a support for the workman who makes repairs on the roof. By arranging the latching bar transversely to span the distance between the two sash bars, the latching bar may be secured temporarily in place to rmly support the weight of the workman who is making the repairs.

The head I2 of the sash bar is provided with a pair of grooves which run lengthwise of the sash bar and which are formed during the eX- trusion of the metal by which the entire sash bar is formed. These grooves are adapted to retain buifers 22 which may be formed out of rubber or cork or any other suitable material adapted to cushion the glass panes against vibration and to check the ow of any moisture which might otherwise creep into the joints.

While the sash bar may be made of any suitable metal, the most suitable metal thus far found is an alloy of aluminum which is sufficiently rigid to bear all of the weight to which it is subjected and which is resistant to atmospheric conditions which might cause rust or similar oxidation in some other metal. The transverse beams I4 which may also be formed of a similar metal are apertured for the reception of screws 23 which enter suitable screw-threaded apertures in the base III.

By means of the latch bar I1 it is possible to remove and to replace a broken pane of glass without in the slightest way disturbing any other part of the greenhouse roof. The importance of this Vfeature resides in its easy manipulation.

, Only two screws must be withdrawn and two others must be slightly loosened in order to release the pair of latch bars which hold the broken pane. Another pane of glass may then be inserted and firmly secured in place by the insertion of the two screws which were taken out and the tightening of the two screws near the upper edge of the pane of glass. As compared with the prior constructions, the manipulation of my latch bar is exceedingly simple since the minimum number of screws is taken out thus reducing to a minimum the annoyance caused by the loss of screws while working on a sloping glass roof.

' Of prime consideration in a greenhouse roof is the transmission of light which is a most important factor in growing good plants and' fine flowers. The heads I2 are relatively narrow and they obstruct the minimum of light. The iianges I8 of the latching bars merely cover the head I2 and they also do not obstruct any more light than is necessary.

The sash bar possesses great strength relative to its size and weight due largely to the fact that it is of an I-beam form. Not only does the form provide strength but the added strength is due further to the process of manufacturing the sash bar. Metal beams in their molecular structure have a grain which depends largely on the way the metal is formed and cooled. In the case of beams formed' by extrusion the primary grain would naturally be lengthwise of the beam and this lengthwise grain adds to the supporting strength of the beam. While relatively small in size and of extremely light weight, the sash bars 2,075,642 through the aperture 2'0 and into the aperture are capable of supporting the weight of the roof` plus the weight of accumulations of snow and ice as well as resisting the wind pressures. This beam construction will also support any workmen who are making repairs on the roof. 'I'he use of the latch bar I'I in the manner shown in Figure 3 greatly facilitates this use since the latch bars are of relatively short length and of channel construction to in themselves support considerable weight. These may be used as a ladder as shown in Figure 3 or two or more latch bars may be arranged transversely to support a light platform for supporting the workmen while making repairs on the roof.

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, and exact terms that its construction and operation will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent` of the United States is:

1. A sash bar forgreenhouses, comprising a body bar having. an upstanding dividing ridge with pane supporting .ledges at opposite sides thereof to support panes inconsecutively overlapping relation, channeled latch bars fitting over the f'.

ridge with outwardly anged lower edges adapted to seat on the opposite panes supported on the ledges, each channeled latch bar having a screw opening in its top near one end thereof and having fork arms coextensive with its upper surface at its opposite end and extending beyond said end to leave the said lower ilanges free for abutting engagement with the edge ofthe adjacent overlapping pane to hold the same from sliding displacement, said latch bars being of a length sub stantially equal to the lengthk of the adjacent panes and said ridge having in its top threaded screw sockets adapted to register with the screw openings of the adjacent latchv bars, and clamping screws engaging through the openings in the latch bars and into said socketsof the ridge, the

fork arms on'one end of the latch barsadjustablyengaging within the opposite ends of the latch bars on top of the ridge and at opposite sides Aof the screws, whereby tightening of the screws binds the fork arms against the ridge and secures the latch bars in consecutively overlapping relation throughout the length of the ridge.

2. ,A sash bar for greenhouses and the like comprising a body bar having two aligning plane surfaces for supporting panes of glass at their lateral edges Vand having a rib projecting upwardly from the middle portion'of said body bar to space apart the panesrof glass, said rib having uniformly spaced screw-threaded apertures. and latch bars corresponding in length substantially to that of the panes of glassfand having channeled portions seating over said rib and also having lateral projections for engaging the upper surfaces of the`panes ofglass to hold the same seated on said plane surfaces, each latch bar having a longitudinally slotted projection at one end in the plane of the top of the channeled portions-said latch bars each having an aperture spaced from said fork a distance substantially equal to the spacing apart lof said aperturesin the rib, and screws passing through the apertures of said latch bars and through said forks and into the apertures of said rib to clamp the latch bars directly on the rib. Y

f FREDERICK EICHE. 

